Richard Addo-Tenkorang

Performance evaluation of tracking and tracing for logistics operations

Today’s complex logistics and supply chain management demands the continuous monitoring and managing of ever increasing shipment chains. This motivates the need for goods-centric tracking and tracing of logistics items, which ensures the opportunity to increase visibility and control in different logistics operations of a company. Recent technological developments enable manufacturing companies to trace and track goods over their entire life cycle and manage supply chain operations across organisational boundaries. The available auto-ID technologies such as barcodes, QR (quick response) codes, RFID (radio frequency identification) tags, etc., are widely used for monitoring the material flow in the logistics chain. However, a gap exists in evaluating performance and feasibility before implementing such technologies in respect to logistics and supply chain tracking and tracing network. Based on this research gap, this paper presents a methodology to measure the performance evaluation of available tracking and tracing technologies. An experimental set up was established and conducted with the objective of measuring the performances of the tracking technologies and tools. This research study would be a supportive roadmap for manufacturing companies before implementing suitable tracking and tracing technologies and tools in future everyday business operations.

ERP SaaS value chain: a proposed SaaS model for manufacturing SCM networked activities

This paper aims at proposing an ERP-SaaS model systems solution for manufacturing SCM networked value systems to enable the end-customer organisation to decrease the cost of implementation, maintenance and the overall administration of the application. This applied research employed an industrial pilot case study with an OEM industrial partner. The proposed ERP-SaaS model in this paper attempts to propose industrial systems solution value-adding benefits including: low preliminary-and-anticipated ongoing costs, faster implementations and value-adding, affordable ownership cost, greater reliability, improved support, reduced IT complexity and improved business motivation. Salesforce.com is one example of such successful ERP-SaaS systems solution vendors. However, ERP systems delivered as software-as-a-service; is not yet a systems solution that has had a commercial breakthrough, specifically for supply-chain management (SCM) network. Thus, this paper will be very relevant to industries keen on achieving competitive advantage of their SCM network as well as R&D both in the industry and academia.

Concurrent enterprise: a conceptual framework for enterprise supply-chain network activities

ABSTRACT Supply-chain management (SCM) in manufacturing industries has evolved significantly over the years. Recently, a lot more relevant research has picked up on the development of integrated solutions. Thus, seeking a collaborative optimisation of geographical, just-in-time (JIT), quality (customer demand/satisfaction) and return-on-investment (profits), aspects of organisational management and planning through ‘best practice’ business-process management – concepts and application; employing system tools such as certain applications/aspects of enterprise resource planning (ERP) – SCM systems information technology (IT) enablers to enhance enterprise integrated product development/concurrent engineering principles. This article assumed three main organisation theory applications in positioning its assumptions. Thus, proposing a feasible industry-specific framework not currently included within the SCOR model’s level four (4) implementation level, as well as other existing SCM integration reference models such as in the MIT process handbook’s – Process Interchange Format (PIF), the TOVE project, etc. which could also be replicated in other SCs. However, the wider focus of this paper’s contribution will be concentrated on a complimentary proposed framework to the SCC’s SCOR reference model. Quantitative empirical closed-ended questionnaires in addition to the main data collected from a qualitative empirical real-life industrial-based pilot case study were used: To propose a conceptual concurrent enterprise framework for SCM network activities. This research adopts a design structure matrix simulation approach analysis to propose an optimal enterprise SCM-networked value-adding, customised master data-management platform/portal for efficient SCM network information exchange and an effective supply-chain (SC) network systems–design teams’ structure. Furthermore, social network theory analysis will be employed in a triangulation approach with statistical correlation analysis to assess the scale/level of frequency, importance, level of collaborative-ness, mutual trust as well as roles and responsibility among the enterprise SCM network for systems product development (PD) design teams’ technical communication network as well as extensive literature reviews.

Analysis of enterprise supply chain communication networks in engineering product development

Purpose For decades now, industrial manufacturers’ complex product development (CPD) activities have seen various improvement approaches as well as product development (PD) support processes all in the quest to achieve shorter PD lead-times and higher return on investments. CPD process improvements, in terms of complex engineering design and delivery, still lack a lot more variance to be addressed on the “better, faster and cheaper” paradigm for efficient communication and information exchange flow processes. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents employing social network theory analysis and statistical Pearson (r) correlation analysis in a triangulation approach to a proposed optimum conceptual information technology systems’ architecture and a “best practice” information flow process toward enhancing an industrial sustainable competitive advantage. Closed-end questionnaires were used to collect data for the scale or level of communication network from a sample size of eight Ship Power supply chain network complex engineering design and delivery systems-design teams with at least five members from each team. Findings Two extremely interesting findings and observations were identified from the analysis carried out (isolates and close-harmonic analysis) as well as the findings from the hypotheses’ testing. These essential analyses of the engineering systems-design teams were conducted by using the triangulation or mixed-method described in the abstract methodology identified above. Originality/value Effective and efficient real-time communication is seen as the vehicle for effective organization management. Although there may be some studies on effective technical communication in organizational and enterprise supply chain management settings, this research identifies a new robust and extensive analysis and feasible solutions to most of the communication bottlenecks and inefficient socio-industrial information flow processes, which need enhancement for industrial competitive advantage. Furthermore, the contribution of this paper further enhances the level 4 implementation aspect of the supply chain operation reference model in a replicable industry-specific perspective.

Effects of Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) Standard: A Study on Core Competencies Building and Organizational Learning

Promoting the human factor of every organization is an important component that needs to be continuously up held to build employee competencies. Ultimately, this strengthens the competitiveness and sustainability of the operations within the organization. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of occupational health and safety management system (OHSAS 18001-2007) and learning in organizations to building its core competencies. This case study was carried out by the Evolute web based research tool in four factories between May and August 2015. Results indicated that, the acquisition of OHSAS 18001:2007 standard improves employee work output as well as increases knowledge capacity. Thus, an appreciable level of occupational health and safety management system, practice and environment has positive employee effect and that, organizational learning can be facilitated by top management commitment and leadership. However, the need for an increase in tacit knowledge disbursement among employees was realized needed.